New incident of course on the initial training of teachers

Belgium

The parliamentary adoption of the decree aimed at thoroughly reviewing the initial training of teachers in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation is moving slowly to the Stations of the Cross. Expected for more than ten years, this decree which aims to increase from 3 to 4 years the training of teachers on Wednesday encountered a new pitfall in committee of Parliament.

In the absence of sufficient majority MPs, further consideration of the decree had to be postponed until next week, when an extraordinary commission will be convened for the occasion on Thursday, 6 December.

On Wednesday morning, discussions on the text would normally start at 9:30, but it was not until an hour before the quorum was reached and work could finally begin …

These began with the tabling in session of several amendments by the majority PS-cdH. Hence a request from the opposition of a new interruption to be able to examine them.

The discussions were able to resume shortly thereafter, but some PS deputies quickly had to leave the room to go to another committee to vote the 2019 budget of the Federation.

Logical consequence: the quorum was again no longer badured in Higher Education Commission, which the opposition MR and Ecolo did not ask to denounce.

After some tense discussions on the interpretation of the internal rules of Parliament, the commissioners finally preferred to adjourn their work that turned to the rat race, to the chagrin of Minister Marcourt, present him, from 9:30 to defend his decree and respond to questions from members.

Asked by Belga, PS group boss Christiane Vienne did not hide a certain annoyance at the morning's proceedings, but explained the quorum problem with the imminent departure of several Socialist MEPs from the Higher Education Commission to new local positions. in the elections of October 14th.

This incident represents an additional obstacle in the path of parliamentary validation of this major reform announced for more than ten years, the majority of which wanted adoption before the end of this calendar year.

A fortnight ago, unhappy that the majority refused him a series of expert hearings, the opposition MR and Ecolo had announced the filing of 7 amendments to the draft decree, with request for opinion within thirty days to the Council of State, thus postponing for sure any vote on the text to 2019 …